Thank you for hosting Social Hour. Your hospitality helps make First UU a welcoming place for conversation and connection after every Sunday service. You do not need to be an expert cook, barista, or dishwasher operator—this guide will walk you through the day. (You can download the guide here.)

Quick Contacts

Video Tutorials

Watch the videos before your hosting date, especially if this is your first time. QR codes may be added beside each item in the printed version of this guide.

Sunday Social Hour Host Checklist

Social Hour takes place in the Schweitzer Room immediately after the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service, generally beginning around 11:30 a.m. Have the serving area fully ready by 11:30 a.m.

Hosting is shared: A committee should organize at least two people to host. When two congregant households are assigned, the households should coordinate with one another in advance. A household may be one person, a family, or another group of people sharing the assignment.

You may set up before the service, step out 30–45 minutes before the service ends, or divide duties so one host can prepare while another attends the service. Hosts are responsible for setup and cleanup.

Before service or 30–45 minutes before 11:30 a.m.

• [ ] Check the dishwasher as soon as you arrive. Dan may already have turned it on.
• [ ] If it is off, turn it on using the red toggle switch. It takes time to heat, so turn it on as early as possible.
• [ ] Watch the dishwasher tutorial if you need a refresher.
• [ ] Make coffee early enough to have two pots of regular coffee and one pot of decaf ready at 11:30 a.m.
• [ ] Watch the coffee tutorial if needed.
• [ ] Put one compost bucket near the coffee maker and one near the dish bin/trash area.

Set up the serving area

• [ ] Set out 25–30 ceramic mugs on the cafeteria trays.
• [ ] Set out sugar, dairy cream/half-and-half, a non-dairy option if available, sweeteners, and stir spoons.
• [ ] Fill a carafe with hot water for tea, if serving tea.
• [ ] Fill at least one water pitcher and set out plastic cups.
• [ ] Arrange snacks in serving dishes as needed. Open bags, boxes, or containers only when you are ready to serve.
• [ ] Set out small plates and forks/spoons if needed for the food you brought.
• [ ] Set out napkins.
• [ ] Place the dirty-dish bin on the cart outside the dishwasher room.
• [ ] Put out a sign identifying your committee or group, if applicable.

During Social Hour

• [ ] Welcome people and keep the food and beverage area tidy.
• [ ] Refill regular coffee, decaf, water, mugs, napkins, or snacks as needed.
• [ ] Direct people to the compost, recycling, and trash containers if needed.
• [ ] Periodically collect dishes and cups left on tables.
• [ ] Wash dishes periodically if there is a large volume, or wash them all after Social Hour.

Cleanup before leaving

• [ ] Clear food service areas and collect visible cups, mugs, plates, utensils, and dishes from tables.
• [ ] Scrape food into compost and rinse dishes before loading them on dishwasher trays.
• [ ] Run dishes through the dishwasher; dry and return them to their designated shelves in the dish room.
• [ ] Hand-wash only items that truly cannot fit on a dishwasher tray.
• [ ] Wipe counters and any spills. Wipe tables or sweep crumbs if there are enough helpers; this is appreciated but not required.
• [ ] Handle leftovers according to the leftover-food guidance below.
• [ ] Take used dish towels and tablecloths home to launder. Return them to the church kitchen as soon as you can.
• [ ] Leave the dishwasher on and close its door when you are finished. Dan will turn it off later in the day.
• [ ] Report equipment, plumbing, or building problems to Dan, the building manager. If he is unavailable, notify Rose or Shelley.

Full Social Hour Host Manual

1. Your role

Social Hour is held in the Schweitzer Room immediately after Sunday worship. It is a simple, welcoming time for people to talk, have a light snack, and enjoy coffee, tea, or water.

Your job is to prepare the food and beverage area, keep it reasonably stocked during Social Hour, and clean up afterward. Social Hour is not intended to be a full meal. A warm, straightforward setup is more important than an elaborate spread.

Most hosting assignments are either:

• A church committee, which should arrange for at least two people to participate, or
• Two congregant households, which should communicate and share the work before Sunday.

Hosts generally need to be present until approximately 1:15 p.m., although cleanup may end earlier on a light day.

2. Before your hosting date

Confirm your date

Use the RSVP link in the hosting-assignment email sent through Breeze to confirm whether you can serve. For scheduling questions, contact Rose at roseiksic@gmail.com or 724-831-8592.

If you need to switch dates

1. Use the RSVP link in your assignment email to indicate that you cannot host on the assigned date.
2. If possible, ask another congregant to take your date.
3. You can use the congregation directory in Breeze: log in and select People.
4. If you find a replacement, email Rose at roseiksic@gmail.com with the replacement host’s name and email address.

Coordinate with co-hosts

Before Sunday, decide who will bring food, who will make coffee, who will set up, and who will handle dishes and laundry. Sharing tasks makes it easier for everyone to attend some or all of the service if they choose.

Watch the tutorials

For a first hosting experience, please watch the Kitchen Orientation, Coffee, Dishwasher, and Recycling/Compost videos before Sunday. The full Social Hour Host Video Playlist collects all tutorials in one place.

3. Food and snack planning

How much to bring

• Plan light snacks for approximately 75 people.
• If a church committee is hosting, plan for approximately 75–100 people.
• Social Hour is a snack, not a meal.
• A budget of approximately $50–$100 per household should generally be more than enough.

Hosts are ordinarily not reimbursed for food. If the cost would create a financial burden, contact Reverend Kate to ask about limited support that may be available.

Include variety

Please bring:

• At least one gluten-free option.
• A mix of sweet and savory foods whenever possible.
• A non-dairy coffee option if available or practical.

There are no formal requirements to avoid particular allergens. For homemade or unlabelled food, however, it is helpful to provide a simple label—especially if it contains common allergens or is gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, or otherwise allergen-friendly.

Food ideas by cleanup level

Costco can be a good source for reasonably priced food in larger quantities. Aldi is also a practical option; a sample Aldi purchase for one host was approximately $55.

4. Sunday setup

Plan your time

The worship service begins at 10:30 a.m. and typically ends around 11:30 a.m. The Social Hour setup should be complete by 11:30 a.m.

Choose the approach that works for your hosting group:

• Arrive and complete much of the setup before the worship service.
• Set out a few items before service, then return or step out 30–45 minutes before the service ends.
• Split responsibilities so one host begins setup while another attends the service.

Check the dishwasher first

As soon as you arrive, check the dishwasher. Dan may already have turned it on. If not, turn it on using the red toggle switch so the water can heat while you complete other setup tasks.

Once it is fully heated, the dishwasher’s ready light will indicate that it is ready to use. Laminated instructions are available in the dishwasher room.

Watch: How to Use the Dishwasher

Make beverages

Make enough coffee to have two pots of regular coffee and one pot of decaf ready at the start of Social Hour. Begin early, since the coffee equipment may need time to warm up.

Set out:

• 25–30 ceramic mugs on cafeteria trays
• Sugar, sweeteners, stir spoons, dairy cream/half-and-half, and a non-dairy option if available
• A hot-water carafe for tea, if tea is being served
• At least one water pitcher and plastic cups

Not everyone will want a hot beverage, so refill the mug area as needed rather than setting out every mug at once.

Watch: How to Make Coffee

Prepare food and dish return

Bring food to the Schweitzer Room and arrange it in serving dishes as needed. Set out small plates, forks/spoons, and napkins based on the food you have brought.

Place the dirty-dish bin on the cart outside the dishwasher room so guests have a clear place to return used cups, mugs, plates, and utensils.

Put one compost container near the coffee maker and one near the dish-bin/trash area.

Most supplies are labeled and stored near their point of use. Use the Kitchen Orientation video to locate items, or ask Shelley or Dan if you cannot find something.

Watch: First UU Kitchen Orientation

5. During Social Hour

Social Hour begins after worship, generally around 11:30 a.m. Keep the serving area welcoming and reasonably clean, but do not feel that every item must be constantly attended.

• Refill regular coffee, decaf, water, mugs, napkins, and snacks as needed.
• Clear dishes and cups left on tables when possible.
• Wash dishes during Social Hour if there is a large volume, or wait until the gathering winds down.
• Help guests use compost, recycling, and trash correctly if they ask.
• If your group is a church committee, display a sign highlighting your committee or group.

6. Cleanup and dishes

Food service areas

At minimum, hosts should clean the food-service area, collect visible cups and dishes, wash dishes, and wipe counters or spills. If there are enough helpers and the Schweitzer Room tables or floor have significant crumbs, wiping tables and sweeping is welcome but not required.

Dishwasher procedure

1. Scrape food from dishes into the compost container.
2. Rinse dishes before placing them on a dishwasher tray.
3. Use the dishwasher trays for dishes, mugs, utensils, and larger items that fit through the machine.
4. Use flat, open trays for larger dishes that still fit in the push-through dishwasher.
5. Hand-wash only items that are genuinely too large to fit on a dishwasher tray.
6. Dry clean dishes and return them to their designated shelves in the dish room.
7. When you finish, leave the dishwasher on and close the door. This may run the dishwasher again, but it keeps the machine warm while it remains on. Dan will turn it off later in the day.

Watch: How to Use the Dishwasher

Towels and tablecloths

Clean white cotton terry towels are stored on the wire rack above and to the left of the three-basin sink. Use towels for drying clean dishes, wiping counters, and managing spills.

At the end of your hosting commitment, please have one person take used towels and any tablecloths home to launder. Return them to the church kitchen as soon as possible and place them in their proper location.

7. Compost, recycling, and trash

Use the designated containers to keep cleanup organized:

Hosts do not need to take out full trash, recycling, or compost containers. Other designated church volunteers handle waste removal and compost drop-off.

Watch: Recycling and Compost

8. Leftovers

You are welcome to leave appropriate food for a future Social Hour:

• Unopened items are fine.
• Shelf-stable items are fine.
• Opened snack bags are fine if at least half remains and they can be sealed well.
• Creamer may be left.

In general, take home or discard other refrigerated food and prepared food that remains uneaten, unless someone chooses to take it.

If you leave food at church:

1. Label it “For Social Hour.”
2. Include the date.
3. Email Rose at roseiksic@gmail.com or text 724-831-8592 with a photo of the item(s) left behind.

9. Problems and questions

For kitchen equipment, plumbing, or building-related problems, find Dan, the building manager, and let him know what happened. For example, notify Dan if the dishwasher, coffee maker, plumbing, or another kitchen fixture is not functioning.

For a question about hosting procedures, finding supplies, or needing further instruction, contact Shelley. For scheduling and host-assignment questions, contact Rose.

For ordinary spills or broken glass, clean and dispose of the materials safely using the usual available cleaning tools. Notify Dan if there is a building-related issue or a problem that needs maintenance.

10. Kitchen orientation resources

For a visual tour of the kitchen and the location of commonly used supplies, watch the orientation video before your first hosting date:

Watch: First UU Kitchen Orientation

The orientation is intended to help you find the coffee maker and supplies, dishwasher room, dish-bin cart, serving items, towels, dish-storage areas, compost bins, recycling bin, and trash cans. A future printed version of this manual may include a labeled kitchen map and photographs of these locations.

Host reminder

Your presence and effort matter more than a perfect spread. Keep the food simple, prepare the essentials, ask for help when you need it, and enjoy helping the congregation connect after service.